In the use of tie lift/carrier units, for example, of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,544,136 and 4,625,947 which issued to the assignee of the present invention, a spare tire and wheel assembly is elevated to a stored position under a vehicle body by means of a cable which depends from a reel forming part of the unit. The cable is retracted on the reel and the spare tire assembly is elevated by rotating the reel with a drive and clutch mechanism as disclosed in the above patents. The cable holds the spare tire and wheel assembly firmly against the bottom of the vehicle body and prevents the tire assembly from bouncing against the vehicle body.
In the event the cable becomes damaged, for example, by a kink in the cable or by improper flexing, it is possible for the cable to become weak in the damaged zone and to break after an extended period of time while the tire assembly is in its stored position. In the event the cable breaks while the tire assembly is in its retracted stored position and the vehicle is moving along a road, the tire assembly would be free to drop downwardly to the road surface. While it is possible to put support straps or bars under the spare tire and wheel assembly after it is retracted to its stored position, such straps or bars would defeat the primary purpose of using the tire lift/carrier unit, that is, to provide for conveniently moving the spare tire assembly between an elevated stored position and a lowered release position where it is conveniently accessible for use in replacing a flat tire on the vehicle.